A major tailings dam failure at Vale’s Córrego do Feijão mine near Brumadinho, Brazil, in February has led many employees to ask about our approach to tailings management across Teck.
Here are six things to know about the comprehensive systems and procedures in place for the safe and secure management of our tailings facilities in North and South America.
For more information about tailings management at Teck, visit www.teck.com/tailings
1. Surveillance Technology
Sites employ surveillance systems such as GPS hubs, piezometers, inclinometers, pressure gauges, remote sensing and other technologies to monitor tailings dams, abutments, natural slopes and water levels.
2. Staff Inspections
Tailings dams are inspected by trained operators and expert technical staff as frequently as several times daily, with formal staff inspections at our operations at least once per month.
3. Annual Dam Safety Inspections
Formal dam safety inspections are conducted annually by an external Engineer of Record. Recent annual Dam Safety Inspections for our facilities are publicly available at www.teck.com/tailings.
4. Detailed Third-Party Reviews
Comprehensive third-party dam safety reviews are conducted by a qualified independent tailings reviewer as frequently as every three years, based upon the consequence classification for each facility.
5. Internal Governance Reviews
Teck’s Tailings Working Group conducts internal management reviews of our tailings facilities as well as our major tailings projects on a regular basis.
6. Independent Tailings Review Boards
Our operations, higher consequence legacy facilities and major development projects have Tailings Review Boards made up of independent experts who meet regularly, at least annually, to conduct a third-party review of design, operation, surveillance and maintenance.
